Respirator



J. .KNOBLOCK.

RESPIRATOR.

APPL!C/\T!0N FILED MAY22L1920.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES:

J. w. KNOBLOCK.

RESPIRATOR.

APPLICAHON FILED MAY 22. 1920.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES rivrlazu'r OFFICE.

JAMES w. KNOBLOOK, or ELMIRA, NEW YORK, .essmuon. 'ro Amman- LA rmmm rmnENGINE (10., mm, oF ELMmA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RESPIRATOR.

amaze.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES KNOBLOCK, a citizenof the United States, residing at Elmira, county of Chemung, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRespirators, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to'improvements in the type of respiratorsfor filtering dustsand li ht fumes from air of the type in which thefiltering medium .is a dampened sponge or a filtering paper. The malnpurpose of the present inventionis to produce a more efficientrespirator of the type refront wall of the respirator body.

ferred to, by providing an extra-large filter area that will produceeflicient filtration with the least breathing resistance, and a devicein which the dead air or rebreathing space inside the respirator isreduced to the least possible percentage of a normal breath.

In accomplishingthese results the respirator of the present applicationcomprises a cup shaped metal body, carefully designed to conform to thecontour of the human face and having a soft rubber air cushion, whichassures a tight fit with least possible pressure on the face, and arelatively large filter box,

containing either a sponge .or paper filter material, and freelycommunicating with the respirator body through a large opening. Thefilter box is formed preferably by a flattened cylindrical containerhaving a circular opening formed in its rear wall and the 'metalsurrounding this opening turned over or flanged into a similar openin intlhe t is means the respirator body and filter bo x are permanentlysecured together. The attachment of thes two parts ismade more rigid bymeans of rivets passing through their adjacent walls near saidcommunicating opening. The filter box is so arranged with reference tothe respirator body that a pocket or trap is formed in the filter boxbelow the opening communicating with the respirator body, so that anyexcess moisture collecting upon the filter sponge or paper from thebreath of the wearer will gravitate to the bottom of the filter box andbe kept out of the respirator body and away from the face of the wearer.

with reference to the accompanying draw:

' Specification of Letters Patent. Pa tgnfl ed Ma 28. 1922 Applicationfiled May 22,

1920. serial no. 383,549.

ings and afterward pointed out more 'particularly in the annexed claim.

- In said drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved respirator, indicating bydotted lines the position of the wearers head in the respirator, andalso showing in dotted lines a flexible respirator hood that can be wornwith the respirator.

2 is an external front view of the respirator.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a'transverse sectional on the line 4.4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig} 3 of a slightly modified form showingthe use of the paper filter.

Fig. 6- is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the paper filter form ofrespirator. I

The improved respirator is formed-with a respirator body 1 of metal,preferably such as aluminum, carefully designed to fit over the mouthand nose of the wearer. This cup 'shaped'metal body 1 is conformed asclosely as \possible to the contour of the face so as to reduce to aminimum the free space between the respirator body'and the wearer whenit is in use.

The shaped edge of the body 1 has mounted upon it, in the usual manner,an inflatable soft rubber cushion 5, which fits tightly against the faceof the wearer Withview taken out undue pressure. The air cushion can be.

inflated more or less to accurately adjust itself to different profiles.An elastic band indicated at 10 is riveted at 11 to the respirator bodin position to be passed around the head 0 the wearer, and rovided witha fastening buckle or a simi ar device for adjustably securing it inplace.

In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, 15 is a circular cup. or, box formed with a'central opening 16, having the metal of its. ack wall passed through asimilar 0 ening formed in front of the respirator body 1 and turned overor upset therein for permanently securing the box 15 to the bodyportion 1. This attachment is made 'more secure by means of a -rivet 17passed through the adjacent walls of respirator body 1 and filter box15, said motion. A felt washer or ring of packing material 19 iscor-fined between the filter box and respirator body. The box isdesigned to support a filter sponge 20 which is en aged upon itsoutersurface by a circular s eet of'metal gauze 21, held in place by aflanged cover; ring 22, which is attached to the filter box by anysuitable means.

It will be observed that the filter box presents a relatively largefiltering area, and that the opening from the filter box to therespirator body is a large unrestricted assage for the free movement ofair caused y the breathing of the wearer. The lower portion ofthe boxpresents a trap to collect any excess moisture from the moistenedfiltering sponge, particularly from the accumulation of moisture fromthe breathof the wearer. This arrangement prevents of filter paperindicated at 31.

moisture from entering the respirator body pro r and keeps it away fromthe face oft ewearer As shown in rator may be combined with any of thewell known forms of cloth respirator hoods,

' and cover the mouthvand nose, said body such as indicated bydottedlines 25.

InFigs. 5 and 6, the improved respirator is shown with a slightlymodified form of filter box. The mam difference in this form from thesponge type of respirator just described, isthe provision of a somewhatflatterfilter box 30 of relatively larger diameter, arranged to receiveseveral layers- A strip of Wire gauze 32 is slightly arched over theopening 33 leading to the respirator body 1, to hold the filter paperawa from said opening to increase the availa le filtering surface andimprove the freedom of the cir' culation of air. The filter box 30 issecured to the respirator body 1 in the same manner as above explained,excepting there ance.

Fig. 1, the improved respiare two rivets 34 passing through the walls ofthe respirator body and filter box. The layers of filter paper areretained in. the filter box 30 by means of a sheet of wire gauze 35, aflanged retaining rin 36 and some form of securing device, sue forexample as the detachable spring clasp indicated at 37.

With the improved respirator above described, whether of the sponge orpaper filter type, the dead air or rebreathing space inside therespirator bod contains less than 4% of a normal breath andthe extralarge filterarea assures efiicient filtration with the least possiblebreathing resist- No valves are necessary and there are no working partsto get out of order because of these two important features. Themoisture trap in the filter box adds, to the efii- .ciency and comfortof the respirator.

bein formed with an air inlet opening in its ront wall, a circularfilterbox having an air opening centrally of its rear wall, a

flange formed integrally with the rear wall of said filter box andsurrounding the air opening therein, said flange being adapted to beprojected through the air inlet opening of the respirator body and bentback against said respirator body for securing said filter box thereto,said air openings being'in free communication, thereby forming a bafileand tra to exclude moisture from the respirator body, a filter materialin said filter box and means for attaching to the wearer.

